© 2024 KASU
Your Connection to Music, News, Arts and Views for 65 Years
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

NWS: Black River to overtop levee

The National Weather Service says the Black River is expected to flow over a levee in Pocahontas today, forcing many in the east side of town to evacuate.  Officials say the flooding is imminent and they are expecting businesses, homes and structures to flood.  

When the river crests Friday, it is expected to be about 29.5 feet, which is well above flood stage.  It is also expected to be over a foot higher than the historic 2011 Black River flooding, which caused millions of dollars in damage and killed 14 people across the state.  

Numerous roads are closed near Pocahontas, and more roads are expected to be shut down.  View road closures here.   Governor Hutchinson visited the area today to survey flood damage and storm damage.  Follow KASU at 91.9 FM as we continue to cover this story as well as kasu.org.  

Johnathan Reaves is the News Director for KASU Public Radio. As part of an Air Force Family, he moved to Arkansas from Minot, North Dakota in 1986. He was first bitten by the radio bug after he graduated from Gosnell High School in 1992. While working on his undergraduate degree, he worked at KOSE, a small 1,000 watt AM commercial station in Osceola, Arkansas. Upon graduation from Arkansas State University in 1996 with a degree in Radio-Television Broadcast News, he decided that he wanted to stay in radio news. He moved to Stuttgart, Arkansas and worked for East Arkansas Broadcasters as news director and was there for 16 years.